A SPANISH SOLDIER WAS KILLED AND FOUR INJURED SATURDAY IN AN EXPLOSION NEAR FARAH IN WESTERN AFGHANISTAN, THE DEFENCE MINISTRY SAID IN MADRID, ACCORDING TO DPA. THE VICTIM WAS IDENTIFIED AS PERUVIAN PARATROOPER JORGE ARNALDO HERNANDEZ. THE OTHERS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY INJURED. THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED 16 KILOMETRES EAST OF FARAH AT 1840 LOCAL TIME WHEN AN ISAF PATROL HIT AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE, SOURCES SAID. IT WAS NOT KNOWN WHETHER THE SOLDIERS HAD DRIVEN TO AN ABANDONED MINE OR BEEN ATTACKED. THE SOLDIERS WERE TAKEN TO A CAMP HOSPITAL IN HERAT. THE MEDICAL EVACUATION OF THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS IS UNDERWAY, NATO-LED ISAF SPOKESMAN EUAN DOWNIE SAID WITHOUT DISCLOSING DETAILS. SPAIN HAS AROUND 680 SOLDIERS IN AFGHANISTAN AS PART OF THE NATO- LED INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF). THE CONTINGENT WAS RECENTLY INCREASED BY 150 SOLDIERS. THE SPANISH ARMY ACCEPTS FOREIGN NATIONALS, ESPECIALLY LATIN AMERICANS, ON CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
